Review: Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles Airport (IAD)

During my Aria Suite Adventure to Hong Kong, I had the chance to visit several lounges at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD). After checking out the Capital One Lounge, my next stop was the Etihad Lounge, which for all practical purposes is also a Chase Sapphire Lounge (in terms of access requirements, food & drinks, etc.).

The Chase Sapphire Lounge network has been growing nicely, though technically this lounge doesn’t belong to the network. Nonetheless, I’ll be referring to the lounge as such, simply because for most guests, that’s the experience they’ll be familiar with, which is being offered.

This particular lounge, along with a lounge at New York Kennedy Airport (JFK), are unique. That’s because they’re actually run in partnership with Etihad Airways. You see, Etihad used to have its own lounge in New York and Washington, but both were closed for several years, presumably because the economics didn’t make sense.

So Chase and Etihad Airways partnered to revive these lounges, with a win-win arrangement — Etihad passengers continue to get access to great lounges, while the Chase Sapphire Lounge network can expand to more airports, with a lot more people having access to the lounges.

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles is great — it has the excellent food we’ve come to expect from this lounge network, and it also has the typical decor. However, it’s also on the small side. Fortunately Washington Dulles has lots of lounge options, so crowding isn’t as bad as it might be for a comparably sized lounge at some other airports.

Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles location

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles is located in Concourse A, near gate A14. For context, all terminals and gates at Washington Dulles are connected airside, so it’s just a function of how far out of your way you’re willing to go.

If you’re originating at Washington Dulles, just take the AeroTrain to Concourse A.

Once you get off the train, just briefly walk down the terminal, and you’ll see the entrance to the lounge on the left. Interestingly, the lounge exclusively has Etihad Airways branding, with no sign of mention of access also being granted through other means. Perhaps this is an advantage that helps with crowding, since many people might not assume this is a lounge they’d have access to, based on the exterior.

Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles hours

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles is open daily from 6AM until 10PM. So that doesn’t cover all departures from the airport, but it does cover most. For what it’s worth, the lounge remained pretty empty throughout my morning visit.

That’s because Concourse A and Concourse B at Washington Dulles tend to get busiest in the afternoons and evenings, prior to transatlantic flights. Meanwhile getting here is a bit of a detour for most United passengers.

Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles entry requirements

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles is a Priority Pass lounge, though it works a bit differently than other Priority Pass locations. Here are the entry requirements for all Chase Sapphire Lounge locations in the United States:

• Those with a Priority Pass membership through the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (review) can access the lounge an unlimited number of times, with up to two complimentary guests; the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card also offers access, but is no longer open to new applicants
• Those with a Priority Pass membership issued through any other means can access any Chase Sapphire Lounge in the United States once per calendar year at no additional cost (that’s one visit across all lounges, not per lounge), and guests aren’t complimentary; subsequent visits, as well as guests, will be charged an entry fee of $75
• If you don’t have a Priority Pass membership, you can outright buy access to the lounge for $100 per person per visit, subject to availability
• Chase Sapphire Lounges are only accessible within three hours of departure, unless you’re connecting, in which case you can access them earlier

So as you can tell, while all Priority Pass members can visit this lounge once, those who have a membership through Chase’s premium cards get unlimited visits.

On top of that, since this lounge is run in partnership with Etihad Airways, premium passengers on the airline get access to the lounge. This includes business class passengers, as well as select Etihad Guest elite members.

Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles layout & seating

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles is roughly 5,200 square feet, spread across two floors. The lounge has been fully renovated since it was an Etihad Lounge (you can read my review of the old facility here), and Chase is very consistent with its lounge decor.

To start, below are a couple of pictures that basically give you a sense of the entire lounge space.

As you enter the lounge, there’s a small seating area to the right, with a couch and more than half a dozen chairs.

Meanwhile if you enter the lounge and turn right, you’ll find yourself in the bar area. This contains high-top seating at the bar counter, plus several dining tables, each seating two to three people.

Then along the windows you’ll find pairs of seats arranged facing one another, with coffee tables.

In the very back corner of the lounge, there’s even a gate. The Etihad flight often depart from this gate, in which case boarding can happen directly from there, allowing passengers to avoid having to return to the terminal.

If you enter the lounge and turn left, and go underneath the area with the second floor, you’ll find the lounge’s main buffet area, including half a dozen dining tables. It’s not exactly a huge space, but it’s still nice how the lounge is broken up into so many zones.

Then as you go up the staircase, you’ll find yourself in a smaller space, which has several clusters of seating. This space tends to stay the quietest, since most people don’t make the trek up here.

The only other thing worth mentioning is that there’s a play area for kids on the first floor, right off the bar.

Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles food & drinks

Chase Sapphire Lounges are known for having an excellent selection of food and drinks, and the Washington Dulles location has exactly what we’ve come to expect. When it comes to food, I visited over breakfast hours, and there was both a buffet and small a la carte selection. All dishes are individually plated and ready to grab, and then there are trays you can place your items on, to take them back to your seat.

During my visit, buffet options included berry green smoothies, smoked salmon toast, fruit salad, curry potatoes, chana masala, and buttermilk pancakes.

There were also a variety of baked goods, including apple spice muffins, croissants, cinnamon rolls, lemon bear claws, blondies, and mini chocolate bites.

The lounge has a couple of drink stations (one on each floor), with espresso machines from Commonwealth Joe, drip coffee, cold brew, spa water, juice, soda, and sparkling water.

I decided to grab a few items from the buffet — my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach. I very much enjoyed the chana masala and the buttermilk pancakes, while I’ve gotta say, the smoked salmon toast was awful. The bread was hard as could be (like, it was challenging to eat), and there was a tiny amount of salmon on it.

In addition to what’s available at the buffet, there’s also an ordering system, which you can access via the QR codes at the tables throughout the lounge. This includes additional dishes — breakfast can be ordered from 6AM until 10:30AM, while the all-day menu is available from 11AM until 10PM.

Additional options during my visit included breakfast bao, a sweet yogurt bowl, shrimp and grits, and more.

As you’d expect, the lounge also has a list of cocktails, beer, and wine, which are complimentary, and available either at the bar, or via the ordering system. Below is the full alcohol selection, which is pretty extensive, if you ask me.

Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles bathrooms & showers

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles has a few individual bathrooms in the back corner, near the dining area. The bathrooms are pretty elegant.

The lounge also has a shower, which is bookable either through reception or through the QR codes near all the seats. I didn’t have a chance to check out the shower, as it was occupied during my visit. Lastly, the lounge has a “reflection room” (previously described as a prayer room, when Etihad ran the lounge).

Bottom line

The Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles is a stylish facility with an extensive selection of food and drinks, and it’s a great addition to the Washington Dulles lounge scene, for those who have access.

Admittedly this isn’t going to be to the same level as some of the purpose built Chase Sapphire Lounges, like the ones in Boston (BOS) and New York (LGA). But that’s because this is a fairly small space, and for that matter, it’s not even technically part of the Chase Sapphire Lounge network.

During my morning visit, the lounge was also nice and calm, probably thanks to this concourse not getting much traffic in the mornings. In the afternoons, I suspect it’s a different story. Regardless, if you have access, this lounge is worth a visit, in my opinion.

What’s your take on the Etihad & Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles?